


The Hours Between

by yuletide_archivist



Category: Transformers (Bay Movies)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-02-27
Updated: 2008-02-27
Packaged: 2018-01-25 06:59:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1637807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yuletide_archivist/pseuds/yuletide_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Every war has its aftermath, and for Mikaela, it means showing her thanks any way she can. Takes place between the end of the battle in Mission City and the closing scene of everyone at the lookout.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Hours Between

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Puel

 

 

Mikaela lingered near Ratchet's side when Optimus Prime pulled Sam and Captain Will Lennox off to the side for a conference call with the Secretary of Defense. Sam was the one who needed to talk to one of the most important men in the United States government; he'd been the one to save the world, she'd only pulled Bee away from the building that had fallen on him, and she'd nearly kept going once they were away. She'd ended up going back, driving towards that damned Decepticon so that Bee could kill him. Sam, though, Sam had faced Megatron alone, up on the top of a building. That was far more important than hotwiring a tow-truck.

Once Sam had gone off with the Autobot leader, Mikaela turned to look up at the big medic. "Is there anything I can do to help?" She hated seeing Bee in pain, and helping him was the only thing she could think of that would even begin to repay the yellow 'bot for keeping Sam safe.

Ratchet paused, looking at her from where he'd been trying to hold one of Bee's shattered legs in place while also trying to piece wires and components back together.

"Your assistance would be appreciated." He gestured her closer, and Mikaela carefully crossed the rubble to kneel at Bee's side. "Reconnect this piece here," he pointed to one panel of metal and then to a small piston-like mechanism, "and then to this mechanism here."

She did exactly as he ordered and together they got the scout's legs reattached by the time Optimus returned with Sam and Captain Lennox. He couldn't _move_ his legs yet - that would require more time, space, and supplies than they currently had - but at least he looked whole.

Sam joined her at Bee's side and tangled his fingers in hers as Ratchet moved away to speak with his leader. She looked up at him and gently touched his cheek below one of the many cuts and bruises he'd collected. 

"Are you okay?"

He gave her a half-crooked smile. "I feel like one giant bruise, but otherwise... yeah. I think so."

It was an honest answer, and she decided she liked that better than the bogus macho lie she would've gotten from Trent. "Good. So... what did they want?"

"To know if Megatron was really dead... and to ask Optimus what they should do about the dead Decepticons."

Good question. She looked back at the few bodies she could see, and watched as a few shocked civilians began emerging from the surrounding buildings. She blinked when she realized that she'd referred to all those people as civilians in her head, like she _wasn't_ one anymore, but then maybe she wasn't. Captain Lennox had told Sam he was a soldier right after Bee had been hurt, and she had been right there too. She'd driven so that Bee could shoot, and that meant she'd actually put herself into the Autobot/Decepticon war... so maybe she wasn't really a civilian anymore. She wasn't really a soldier like Lennox or the Autobots or even Sam, but she'd never really ever be a civilian again...

"Mikaela."

She shook her head to scatter her thoughts and realized that they'd been saying her name.

"Sorry. Yes?"

"We need to move now, and we wish to know if you will be coming with us or returning to your home?"

She glanced at Sam - he had a hand on Bee's side and looked ready to go wherever his guardian did - and then at Lennox - waiting beside Ironhide while the rest of his team was headed towards military vehicles that had arrived while she'd been lost in her thoughts.

"With you, please. I want to keep helping Ratchet."

Optimus nodded and then turned to help load Decepticons onto the flat-bed trucks that had arrived. Megatron was the last of the Decepticons to be loaded, and it took both Optimus and Ironhide to lift him onto the trailer. Military men moved to cover him with a tarp while Optimus ordered another trailer to be disconnected from the rig that had brought it in. Without another word Optimus folded down into his impressive semi form and backed up so that the trailer could be hitched on. Once it was secure Ratchet carefully placed Jazz's body on one half before assisting Bee up beside him. Mikaela watched as Bee touched Jazz's chest, and she could see the hurt on the yellow bot's face before he settled his head against one of the silver bot's legs and allowed the tarp to be pulled over him and Jazz.

After that everyone else folded down into their vehicle forms and Ratchet opened his passenger door after driving over to Mikaela's side. She climbed in and leaned back, suddenly exhausted as she watched Sam climb into Optimus' cab and Will climb into Ironhide's. Once everyone was in they started moving and Mikaela just let her eyes drift closed.

She woke up when they stopped and realized hat they must've been on the road for hours, dark as it was. Stiffly she climbed out of Ratchet's cab and wrapped her arms around her chest against the cold night air. The trailers carrying the Decepticons rolled in and parked, their drivers getting out and heading for a pair of black SUVs that had apparently followed their little convoy.

Ratchet transformed and walked over to assist Bee down off the trailer and over to lean against a wall. Sam walked up and wrapped an arm around her shoulders and they watched in silence as Ratchet carried Jazz's body to a corner and settled it on the ground. He returned for the tarp and used it to cover Jazz like a shroud before turning to look at the two humans.

"You both need to recharge. The military men should have cots for you in the office of this building." He pointed to a walled-off corner with a window in the door that read 'Manager, Sunlight Shipping Co.'

Whatever recharge was, it sounded enough like sleep and the promise of cots was enough to get the two humans moving. Inside the office they found a pair of army cots with blankets and pillows. Sam kicked off his shoes and crawled onto one of the cots, groaning in what was either pain or relief, she couldn't tell. Tired enough not to care that she was still in dirty clothes, Mikaela pushed her cot over to Sam's and crawled in, pulling the blankets up against the chill air. 

Half asleep already, Sam rolled onto his side to face her and reached across the tiny space between them to wrap a hand around her wrist. She smiled at him and fell asleep to the sound of idling engines and Sam's quiet snores.

*~*~*~*~*

Screams and explosions woke her from a sound sleep and she jerked upright to stare into the darkness, looking and listening for the battle she swore she'd heard. All she could hear was a clank followed by a hiss of garbled electronic noises that might have been a curse, and then Sam whined and murmured in his sleep. She rolled over and touched his arm gently.

"Easy, Sam... it's okay." He jerked at her touch and his eyes opened, panicked in the pale light that came through the dirty windows that opened into the interior of the warehouse. "Shh, Sam. It's okay. It's over."

"Mikaela? God..."

"Yeah, Sam. Go back to sleep."

It surprised her when he nodded and rolled over, and his snoring told her he'd actually gone back to sleep. Sleep was a lost cause for her, though, and carefully she eased out of the cot. Her shoes went back on as protection against the icy cold concrete floor, and she tugged the blanket off the bed to wrap around her shoulders. Checking to see that Sam was still asleep, she quietly left the office and scanned the dimly lit warehouse. She didn't see Ironhide's dark bulk anywhere, but the pale light gleamed off the flames of Optimus' paint job where the giant Autobot stood at the main bay door of the warehouse, staring outside. Against his wall, Bumblebee's optics were dimmed -probably his type of sleep. He'd earned a little rest.

Another clank and hiss of static made her jump and she turned to look at the other end of the warehouse, where the trucks with the Decepticons had been left. The only lights on in the warehouse were over there, and she watched as Ratchet pulled something out of one of the corpses with a mutter.

She stared, shocked and slightly appalled as Ratchet _cannibalized_ one of the Decepticons. She fought down the need to be sick and forced herself to remember that they were aliens. Giant _robot_ aliens. And besides, she had donated blood in the past, and she'd agreed to be an organ donor on her license. What Ratchet was doing wasn't really any different, except it was. He was just yanking parts out, cursing - at least it sounded like cursing - at the dead, and not even working in a sterile environment. Even her father, car thief and parts dealer that he was, showed a little more respect to the cars he took.

Finally, stomach and mind calmer, she approached the big medic. "Ratchet?"

He didn't answer at first, until he'd finally finished pulling free whatever he'd been after. He tossed a piece of metal the size of her scooter (Sam owes me a new Vespa...) into a pile behind him before looking over at her. "I thought I ordered you to rest?"

She shrugged. "Can't sleep." She walked closer, circling around the cab of the truck he was working at, and eyed the pile. She realized that some pieces were laid out on a tarp, and that the stuff in the pile was all damaged, or seemed to just be armor. It made her feel better - a little.

"Hmph." He stared at her for a moment, before reaching back into the one that he was working on. "Thank you for the assistance with Bumblebee."

She blinked, not expecting to be thanked. "I..." She frowned, and climbed up onto the trailer, holding on to the ridges of the Decepticon's head so that she wouldn't fall. "You're welcome." 

She made her way closer to the cavity he was working in, surprised to find that the metal under her hands and torn jeans wasn't as cold as she'd expected it to be. She grasped a panel and hauled herself onto the 'Con's massive chest to blink at it - this was the one Bee had killed.

She looked up and caught Ratchet's optics on her, and she offered him a weak smile. "I'd... like to keep helping..."

He nodded and pulled his hands free of the Decepticon's chest. "Your assistance would be appreciated. You may be able to do some of the fine work that I would generally don in a better-supplied facility. I could use your aid now, if you feel aware enough."

His comment about better facilities made her nod and also made her miss her dad's workshop. "I'd like that. I'm... too restless to sleep right now." She carefully crossed the big 'Con's chest to peer into the gap left by Bee's shot. "What do... why?" She frowned and watched him pull a snapped cable out of the way to reach a whole one. "Wouldn't it be a little less... sacrilegious... to just build new parts?"

Once that wire was eased free of its resting place, Ratchet turned to study her. "Sacrilegious?" He paused and Mikaela watched his optics flicker for a moment. "Ah. We do not consider the use of a dead mech's components to be 'sacrilegious,' Mikaela. Amongst friends, it is a form of... honoring... the dead. A way to carry a physical reminder of lost comrades. Most Autobots bear pieces of friends who have returned to the Matrix, and every Autobot knows that they too, in time, may provide the means to keep their comrades functioning." 

As she listened, Mikaela slid into Ratchet's work area to free a tangled cable that his larger fingers couldn't reach as easily. Once it was loose, she looked back up at him.

"And among enemies?"

"Necessity. The components from Brawl will enable me to rebuild Bumblebee's legs without needing to take Jazz's components."

"But I thought-"

"Given the choice between utilizing a friend's components and taking those of a dead enemy ... except in battle, we will use an enemy's body to repair our own in the hopes of salvaging a friend's spark - which, before you ask, no, does not happen at all often - or being able to give them a proper death ceremony to honor them. 

"At any rate, I would rather send Jazz's body to the stars complete and use these Decepticons as spare parts. I don't think any of us were friends, but we were all at peace, long ago."

Mikaela nodded slowly and pushed her hair out of her eyes. "What about just _making_ new parts?"

Ratchet shook his head. "I would have to experiment with Earth's metals to find an alloy that could withstand the stresses a Cybertronian would provide, and... experimenting has never been my strong point."

Mikaela looked up at the tone of his voice, and wondered just how close Ratchet had been to the person he referred to. She watched him for a moment before nodding again. "Okay." She looked at the other tarp-covered Decepticons, and then back up at Ratchet. "Now, what do you want me to do?"

Following Ratchet's detailed instructions, Mikaela worked with the medic to salvage a variety of parts from the Decepticons Brawl, Bonecrusher and Devastator. They worked through the night, collecting what they could to provide Ratchet with enough components to make repairs, and to have spares in the event that they were needed.

Sam emerged from the office as the sky was changing colors in the pre-dawn hours, and between the medic and the stressed-looking teenager they coaxed Mikaela into agreeing to get more rest. She'd tried stubbornly refusing, but gave in when Ratchet plucked her from Bonecrusher's mangled legs and set her beside Sam.

"Go. There is nothing left particularly worth salvaging, and I need to replace their armor before your government arrives to dispose of the bodies."

"Fine, fine, I'm going. May I-" She was cut off by a yawn and Ratchet picked up her line of thought before she could resume speaking.

"I would be honored to have your continued assistance once you have had a _complete_ recharge cycle, received food, and found a cleansing unit."

The mention of 'cleansing' made Mikaela realize just how grimy she really was. Energon and other fluids coated her hands, concrete dust and blood and who knew what else was in her hair, and her clothes had been reduced to rags in places.

"C'mon, Mikaela, Optimus found a truck stop a couple miles down the road and offered to take us."

"I don't have my purse..." The thought of going to bed this dirty was repulsive, but she'd sooner sleep as she was than get cleaned up only to pull on the same oily, torn up clothing.

"I've got my wallet. I can swing a couple of cheap outfits."

Tourist t-shirts and shorts, a questionable truck-stop shower; it sounded like Heaven. "Okay."

Any other time she'd have felt horribly _obvious_ showing up in a truck as flashy as Optimus, but she was tired enough not to care. As it was, she nearly fell asleep once she sat down on the Autobot leader's comfortable, _warm_ seats. 

She stuck by Sam's side while he picked up shampoo and towels for them both, and perked up enough to get boxers, a t-shirt, and flip-flops to change into once she was clean.

It took most of the bottle of shampoo before her hair and skin finally felt clean, and her skin tingled and stung where she'd gotten soap in cuts and abrasions she hadn't realized she had. She ended up just stuffing her old clothes and shoes in the track once she emptied her pockets, and carried the towel out with her to find Optimus. Sam was already there, looking as scrubbed as she was, with a random collection of medical supplies on his lap. He'd already treated his own cuts, and once she sat down he started on hers as Optimus started back towards the temporary 'base.'

"I wasn't sure when they'd remember that we might be hurt too."

"Good thinking." She hadn't really thought about it beyond the fact that shampoo in the cuts stung, and she let him dab antibiotic stuff anywhere that he could reach without her having to move much. Finally clean and warm enough to actually relax had made her aware of just how much she hurt, and she whined half-heartedly at Sam. "Why aren't you all stiff?"

He didn't even comment on the innuendo that her brain pointed out as soon as she'd spoken. Instead he held up a bottle of painkillers. "Took a couple of these before my shower. I tried to give you some, but I don't think you heard me."

"Oh." She took the bottle when he handed it to her and downed three of them dry. By that point Optimus had made it back to the warehouse and he waited quietly as Sam and Mikaela slid out before transforming and walking over to join Ratchet in watching the corpses of the Decepticons being driven away. She watched the big mech for a moment, and when she turned to go back to the office she saw that Sam was already there. Still sore, she took her time getting there, and by the time she pushed the door open Sam was remaking her cot - he'd even acquired her missing blanket at some point.

"I, uh, figured you wouldn't want to sleep in a dirty bed."

Best boyfriend ever. " _Thank_ you, Sam." She sat down stiffly and kicked the flip-flops off before pulling the blanket up, and she was asleep before Sam made it through the door.

*~*~*~*~*

The scent of coffee finally lured Mikaela out of her sleep, and she slid her feet into her flip-flops before padding out to find the coffee. Sam waved her over.

"Hey. They brought a thermos of coffee and some donuts."

"Coffee... thank god." Still sore but not as stiff as she had been, Mikaela joined Sam on his storage-crate seat and reached for the mug he offered her. It was still hot enough to steam and she nearly burned her tongue on the first few sips. "What time is it?"

"Bout noon. You slept for six hours."

Mikaela nodded and downed the rest of her coffee before looking for the donuts. "What have I missed?"

Sam offered her the box and started filling her in while she ate. "Defense Secretary Keller came by while the trucks were leaving with the Decepticons and said that we're not supposed to tell anyone what happened at Mission city, only that it was a terrorist attack, and that the enemy forces were turned back by a new government weapon."

Mikaela snorted and poured herself more coffee. "Not like anyone would believe the truth, anyway."

"Yeah. I'm just glad they're planning to be the ones to tell my parents." Mikaela winced. Her mother wouldn't ask questions, but Sam's parents were crazy - she'd learned that just in a few minutes of their company.

He must've seen her wince, because he laughed. "Exactly. Anyway, that's mostly what he came by to talk about, and Ironhide called to say he'd be back this evening."

Mikaela sipped at her coffee and gave him a curious look. "Where did he go?"

"To take Captain Lennox home, I guess."

"Well that makes sense. Thanks for the coffee, Sam. I'm going to go see if I can help with anything."

He stood up and nodded, and pointed to where Bee was resting against the wall. "I think Ratchet's been waiting for you."

"Huh? I figured he'd be done by now!"

"Nope. I think he got some sleep too. Or something. He didn't really move for a while."

"So... what did you do?"

Sam smiled. "Sat with Bee, mostly. Dozed off, at some point, and woke up when they brought the coffee."

Mikaela smiled back at him, and then wandered across the warehouse to where Ratchet and Bee were talking to each other. She could hear Sam behind her, but she wanted to get a better look at Bee's legs in actual daylight. 

"Ah, Mikaela, good. Are you ready to assist me with Bumblebee's legs?"

"I, well, yeah. But I thought you'd been done by now."

"You did express an interest in assisting me, and doing Bee's repairs while you were resting would not give you much opportunity to assist. I used the time to recharge, and to work on these."

The big medic turned and held out a hand, lowering it to a point where she could easily see what was on his palm. There were two necklaces there; simple chains with pendants that closely resembled dog tags. From beside her Sam reached for one of the necklaces, and as he lifted it one of the 'tags' turned over, revealing a red Autobot symbol. Mikaela reached for the second one, and lifted it to examine it. The two tags were fairly simple looking, one with alien writing on one side and the Autobot sigil on the other, and the second tag with actual human information on it. 

"Your government agreed that you should have these, in recognition of the service you did for your world. Ratchet has placed a locator beacon on an Autobot frequency in the tag with our faction sigil on it. He will later show you how to activate it in the event that you need our help."

For such a huge being, neither human had heard Optimus approach, and as one they looked up at him as he explained the necklaces. 

"Thank you..." It was all Mikaela could think of to say, and it looked like Sam couldn't even manage that much. She slipped the necklace chain over her head, and then took Sam's from his hands and slipped it over his head, since he didn't seem capable of it at the moment. He gave her a weak smile, and then wandered over to lean against Bumblebee's side.

"You are both very welcome. And now I believe Ratchet is ready to get back to work."

Mikaela grinned at Optimus, and then walked over to Ratchet's side. She smiled up at Sam where he was perched on Bumblebee's shoulder, and then looked up at the medic. "So, where do we start?"

Ratchet lifted her up onto Bee's thigh and pressed a panel on the yellow scout's side over to the side. "This, here," he pointed to a tiny catch deep amongst the wires, "is a localized pain receptor node. By twisting it upwards, you can disable a mech's pain receptors in the legs. I have already done this for Bumblebee, but you will need to know where this one at least is if you wish to help me in the future. I can show you where the others are later, but this is the one relevant to the lower body."

Mikaela nodded and leaned against Bee's chest to get a closer look at the switch/valve device before stepping back and turning to look expectantly at Ratchet.

"Bumblebee, you can close the panel now." He offered Mikaela a hand to help her back down onto the ground, and pointed out a tarp covered in various bits of metal, tubing, and wire that weren't immediately recognizable to Mikaela. "I will work with you later to learn what skills you have in the care and repair of mechanical objects, but for now we will work with what we have."

Crowd laughter rippled through Bee's speakers before the yellow bot spoke up. "She'll be a big help, Ratch. She knew what she was looking at when she checked my engine the day I first met her."

Mikaela blushed a little at the reminder of that - if she'd known she was fiddling around with someone's _insides_ she probably wouldn't have been so quick to stick her hands in.

Ratchet made an amused sound. "We shall see. And you know I hate it when you call me that."

Bee made a buzzing sound that quickly became laughter. "Better than 'Hatchet!'"

Ratchet grumbled and Bee only laughed harder when a piston bounced off his helm. Mikaela snickered softly and trotted over to retrieve the piston, carrying it back and setting it with the others on the tarp. "You're not supposed to dent him, Ratchet. We're supposed to be fixing him."

Ratchet snorted. "Concussive maintenance is sometimes required, Mikaela. You'll learn." He picked up several different lengths of tubing, and gestured for Mikaela to join her at his side. "Now, if we can get back to business, we'll begin by replacing the energon lines that were destroyed."

For a while Mikaela worked under Ratchet's orders, reconstructing the damaged structures that made up Bumblebee's legs. Halfway through, Sam left for something or other, leaving Ratchet and Mikaela to work quietly. It quickly became obvious to Ratchet that Mikaela worked best if she watched him do something, and then did it herself on Bee's other leg. Only a couple times did he have to go in to correct her work, and each time he explained the reason behind the technique as well as the correct way to do what needed to be done.

*~*~*~*~*

Hours later, Mikaela realized that she was starving, and about the same time, a big yellow finger poked lightly at her shoulder.

"Huh?"

"Thank you, Mikaela. It is time for you to refuel, though. I believe Sam is getting concerned." It was still a little weird to hear Bee's voice, with it so different from the deeper voices of the others, but she grinned anyway.

"But we're not-"

"Yes, we are." Ratchet cut her off, with something resembling amusement in his voice. He pointed at Bee's legs - his _whole_ legs. The armor on his upper thighs was a little worse for wear, but that could be fixed with a good wash and wax. 

"Oh." Her stomach rumbled, and Mikaela grinned. "It's like working on a good engine... just don't really want to stop." 

Ratchet shook his head. "There is a hose near the office where you can clean your hands. And I believe I shall keep you and Wheeljack away from each other."

Mikaela blinked up at him curiously before shrugging and heading over to hose her hands clean of lubricant and energon and lords knew what else. 

Hands clean as she could get them, she walked over to Sam's side and leaned against him. "Hey."

He grinned and curled an arm around her waist. "Hey. Was starting to wonder if you'd fallen asleep over there. Bee looks great."

She blushed a little and looked down. "Sorry. They're just... amazing. So complex."

"Hey, stop that. You told me back on the lookout that you liked engines. Bee's better than an engine. I get it. Honest."

She blushed again, and then leaned over to kiss his cheek. "Thank you. Now... Bee mentioned food?"

The kiss made him blush, and he ducked his head before responding. "Yeah. Optimus said we could go grab something to eat - Keller left me some cash so we could take care of necessities like real clothes and food."

Mikaela laughed and looked up at the sound of transforming, watching Bee fold down into his alt-mode and roll over to open his doors. "Lookin' good, Bee."

Bee's headlights flashed. "Thank you, Mikaela."

Sam slid into the driver's seat, and looked at Mikaela. "I don't know about you, but I think I want real clothes, first. Pants, at least."

She laughed, nodding. "Please. And then... hell, just hit a drive-thru? And... Bee, do you think you can remember how to get back out to the lookout?"

Bee revved his engine and then rolled out of the warehouse and onto the road. After a short drive they stopped at a dollar-store for jeans, sturdier sandals and other important clothing (for Mikaela, at least), and then Bee took them through the drive-thru for burgers and sodas. They waited to eat until Bee rolled to a stop at the lookout that had started pretty much everything for the two teens. 

They ended up sitting on Bee's hood to eat, leaning against each other as they watched the sun sink lower. Eventually the debris from dinner was piled beside of one of Bee's wheels, and they stretched out to watch the sun set. They didn't move much as the others arrived; first Ratchet and Optimus, and then Ironhide. Only Optimus transformed to walk a little ways away, where he gazed up into the sky. 

Tomorrow they'd probably be moving somewhere else, and Mikaela hoped she'd be allowed to come along. She had no particular interest in returning to her mother or - worse - to the weird looks she'd get from her classmates for disappearing for days (especially after they'd seen her go after Sam right before she'd disappeared). Besides, she still needed to help Ratchet give Jazz the reconstruction he'd earned, and she wanted to help patch up the others from the fighting. 

For the moment, though, everything was fine. She'd worry about tomorrow later. 

 


End file.
